Cost of Living Comparison Between Jizan and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Jizan and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $992 per month in Jizan vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,592 per month in Jizan vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,193 per month in Jizan vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Jizan is about 21% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Jizan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Jizan 26% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 SAR 25.10

$11.72 MX$203

-43.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.08 SAR 102

$41.89 MX$725

-35.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 SAR 25.69

$10.51 MX$182

-34.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

Cappuccino

$3.35 SAR 12.56

$3.59 MX$62.0

-6.69%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 SAR 2.45

$1.51 MX$26.10

-56.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 SAR 0.64

$0.92 MX$15.83

-81.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SAR 6.51

$1.40 MX$24.16

23.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 SAR 3.51

$1.88 MX$32.60

-50.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 SAR 7.20

$1.56 MX$26.97

23.08%

Eggs

$2.65 SAR 9.94

$2.61 MX$45.14

1.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 SAR 27.98

$8.32 MX$144

-10.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.75 SAR 21.59

$8.35 MX$145

-31.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.83 SAR 59.5

$10.86 MX$188

45.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

$2.71 MX$46.93

-32.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$1.51 MX$26.04

-7.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.87 MX$32.41

-10.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 SAR 4.40

$2.19 MX$37.89

-46.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 SAR 3.90

$1.86 MX$32.14

-44.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$2.23 MX$38.59

-52.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 SAR 4.16

$1.07 MX$18.48

3.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.05

$1.09 MX$18.79

-49.54%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.57

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.89 SAR 25.86

$4.19 MX$72.4

64.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$0.54 MX$9.37

94.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.21 SAR 147

$26.16 MX$453

49.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 SAR 10.12

$3.08 MX$53.3

-12.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.22

$2.40 MX$41.61

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.41 SAR 50.3

$3.13 MX$54.1

328.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.31 MX$22.69

-54.20%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.3K SAR 98.9K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-11.65%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.8K SAR 85.5K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-2.38%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$88.1 SAR 331

$81.3 MX$1,406

8.44%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$36.08 SAR 136

$22.56 MX$390

59.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.1 SAR 274

$30.05 MX$520

143.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.4 SAR 325

$52.9 MX$915

63.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.02 SAR 135

$18.39 MX$318

95.87%

Cinema Ticket

$15.48 SAR 58.1

$4.92 MX$85.1

214.63%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$131 SAR 492

$201 MX$3,474

-34.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,379 SAR 12.7K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-34.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.07 SAR 109

$35.92 MX$622

-19.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.52 SAR 178

$40.13 MX$694

18.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 SAR 295

$79.7 MX$1,379

-1.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 SAR 313

$86.5 MX$1,496

-3.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 SAR 1,220

$978 MX$16.9K

-66.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 SAR 847

$470 MX$8,140

-52.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 SAR 1,886

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-69.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 SAR 1,774

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-60.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$799 SAR 2,999

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-79.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,645 SAR 6,176

$677 MX$11.7K

143.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

11.42

-61.30%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Jizan: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $325 in Jizan versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 143% higher in Jizan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Jizan versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $252 – making Jizan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Jizan vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 27% more than Jizan, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,487 per month in Jizan and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jizan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $992 in Jizan and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 50% less in Jizan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jizan, where all-in costs run around $992, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Jizan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jizan costs $992 versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Jizan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.